


A Dupe of a Different Kind

by LaraDrake



Category: X-Factor (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-13
Updated: 2012-05-13
Packaged: 2017-11-05 06:37:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/403460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaraDrake/pseuds/LaraDrake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rictor and Jamie go out drinking - at least, Rictor THINKS that's Jamie. Jamie's never hit on him like that before, though...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dupe of a Different Kind

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 616 for [MarvelousTales](http://marveloustales.livejournal.com).

“Start me a tab,” he said to the bartender and grabbed the cool bottle before it touched the bar. The burly female bartender grunted and started down to the other end of the bar. 

Julio took a long drink of the beer and slouched on the barstool. Things with X-Factor were getting rocky. Between Layla ‘knowing stuff’ and Jamie’s dupes, the house was getting to be worse than the angst after Cable left X-Force. And then there was the loss of his powers…

Another swig of beer silenced that train of thought and he looked around the bar. There were some loud college students over at a table at the other end of the bar. The frazzled little waitress was hurrying back and forth between them and the bar. Between him and the college students, a pair of women seated at the bar were talking quietly and laughing with their heads together. A few other people dotted the bar, drinking alone or with friends, but they didn’t catch Julio’s attention.

There were things missing in his life, some he chose not to think about, others he was reminded of every day. Teresa reminded him of his time with X-Force, with the people that had become his family. Julio felt more alone now than ever and he felt like he was the only one that felt that way. Domino and Cable had found each other again, he’d heard from Jamie. Teresa was getting better and even Deadpool had found a little niche, as much as Deadpool could…

Then there was Shatterstar. Julio tried not to think about him too much, although Jamie liked to bring him up when he wanted to get to Julio. It never failed. He’d made him spit coffee, beer, soda, and water by just casually mentioning the red haired mutant’s name. Well, not really casually. Jamie always managed a little bit of innuendo in there.

Julio missed Star. He really missed him, but he understood that he needed his space. Star was as confused as ever and was trying everything he could to find himself, even if that meant him and Julio going their separate ways. He hadn’t heard much about Star from anyone lately, though he couldn’t forget him. Julio’s dreams were filled with soft red hair and hard muscles.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Jamie said, sliding close to Julio to get between him and the waitress. He put a hand on Julio’s shoulder to balance himself as he sat down on the empty stool. Jamie flashed a smile to Julio. “I miss anything?” he asked and his hand lingered on Julio’s shoulder.

“Not at all.” He signaled the bartender and turned to face Jamie, the other man’s hand finally falling off his shoulder. A lingering touch? Julio took a swig of his beer and ignored it. Jamie didn’t swing that way.

The bartender sauntered down, took Jamie’s order and produced a bottle of beer for him. She didn’t even ask about the tab. 

“Get things sorted out with Monet and Teresa?” Julio asked and watched Jamie roll his eyes.

“Never.” He turned and his knee brushed and finally settled against Julio’s. Jamie’s eyes dropped for a moment then focused back on Julio. 

Swallowing, Julio followed Jamie’s eyes. He thought about ignoring the contact, but moved his knee away anyway. What was with Jamie? “Too many women, Madrox. Lucky man.”

“Yeah, right.” Jamie rolled his eyes and made Julio smile. Monet and Teresa had been fighting over Jamie like dogs over their favorite toy. Jamie smiled back at Julio, making Julio’s smile falter.

What the hell was going on? If Julio didn’t know any better, he’d think Jamie was flirting with him. Jamie was straight, though. He’d slept with Teresa and Monet... multiple times. Julio shook his head and finished his beer, signaling the bartender for another. He’d spent too much time thinking about Star. That had to be it. 

Jamie looked past Julio to a blonde woman. She smiled and he turned back to let his knee touch Julio’s again. “Women are something I don’t need more of.”

“Aw, come on. You can never have too many women.” Julio started on the beer, moving his knee slightly away from Jamie’s again. Jamie’s knee followed. He took a long drink, then thought better, and took another long drink. 

“Women lack,” he raised his hand and shook it a little, “something, you know?” He put his hand back on the bar, running his fingers through the condensation from his beer. 

Julio raised an eyebrow at Jamie. They lack something? Julio knew that he swung both ways, but Jamie? “Nope…” He lifted his beer again and found the bottle all but drained. He signaled the bartender.

Jamie leaned forward, making a motion in the air with the hand not on the bar. He made eye contact with Julio. “There are just some things they don’t understand. Guy things,” he said. His hand hovered above Julio’s knee.

“Guy things,” Julio repeated, watching Jamie’s hand. The bartender passed him another beer and took away the empty. She eyed them briefly then headed back to the other end of the bar. 

Sighing, Jamie sat up straighter and took a drink of his beer. He lowered his free hand onto Julio’s knee and then waved the beer in his other hand while he talked. “Yeah. Things that only other guys can understand.” He set his beer on the bar, and leaned forward. 

Julio could feel Jamie’s breath on his chin. This couldn’t be Jamie Prime, he thought; it had to be a dupe. He leaned back a fraction and Jamie followed. “Hey, Jamie, what are you doing?” He put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder to stop him from following when he leaned back again.

“Come on. You’re lonely. I don’t want to deal with Monet and Teresa anymore… You want it,” Jamie whispered, his hand traveling up Julio’s thigh. “I want it.”

Julio wasn’t drunk enough for this. Jamie’s dupe wanted him. That meant that some part of Jamie wanted him. “Jamie…” Some part of Julio wanted it too, he realized, watching the other man’s mouth. 

Jamie smiled and leaned in, stopping just a breath away from Julio’s lips. Julio didn’t move away, just parted his lips and waited. The dupe closed the gap, Julio’s hand falling down to his own knee as Jamie pressed his lips to Julio’s. His lips moved over Julio’s, softly and slowly, then quicker, harder as Julio began to respond.

It didn’t feel like fire, kissing Jamie. With Star, he thought he would burn up when he kissed him. With Jamie, it was just warm, pleasant. Something in Julio’s stomach twisted as their lips moved over each other’s and he pulled back. He took a deep breath, let it out and then took another long swig of his beer. “I’m not drunk enough for this,” he mumbled.

Jamie grinned and signaled the bartender. “A bottle of Tequila,” he said. The surly woman glanced between them before disappearing to get the bottle. 

Julio took a deep breath and took the glass that was poured for him when the bartender returned. He looked into the glass, then over at Jamie with his glass. His gaze returned to the glass. Julio wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but Jamie was right. Julio was lonely.


End file.
